


Just Say the Word

by oneshotsbygabby



Category: Political Animals
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual TJ Hammond, Drug Addiction, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Mentions of TJ's family, The Reader and TJ are old friends, drug overdose, gay reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-28 12:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19811995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneshotsbygabby/pseuds/oneshotsbygabby
Summary: You knew TJ Hammond years ago, but hear about his recent OD. Can you talk some sense into him?





	Just Say the Word

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is for the [HBC](http://the-ss-horniest-book-club.tumblr.com/), over on Tumblr. The theme of the week is Song Week, and the title of this fic comes from [Missing You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfhbVUTZn7A) by All Time Low. When I first heard the song, my thoughts went directly to my baby TJ, and wanted to write it forever, but just never did. It’s been on my to-do list forever. So thank you for making it a theme this week, or else this fic would probably never exist.
> 
> I also wanted to add, that canonically, this story takes place right after the OD TJ has at his nightclub. The one that takes place 1x04 (I believe. I could be wrong on the episode. It's been a while since I've watched it).

You and TJ Hammond had been friends a long time.

You first met him when he was just a teenager. He had been outed the year before and his parents had sent him to boarding school. They thought it would be better for him there; away from the prying eyes of the press, away from the scrutiny of other politicians, away from the rumors.

Not that he didn't hear those things while he was at boarding school.

But that's where he first met you. Your parents had also sent you to boarding school, because they were just too damn busy to take care of you. They didn't want the hassle of raising someone like you.

You and TJ had met early on in the year, in a class, and kind of flocked towards one another. You were both gay kids from famous to-do families; his father was the president of the United States, and yours was a Supreme Court judge. You and TJ had a lot in common and understood where the other one was coming from.

So, as gay sons of a couple of the most famous people in the entire United States, you and TJ understood a lot of what the other person had to say. You guys would spend time together, you'd gossip and hang out and were even on the lacrosse team together.

You knew that TJ liked girls as well, but only slept with them sometimes. You, on the other hand, were gold-star gay and had never told anyone until TJ had come along.

You were roommates. And even though you loved him like a friend, you had been harboring a secret from him for a long time.

You were in love with TJ Hammond.

He was a bit of a slut, you had to admit. You had even drunkenly told him so one night, and he'd just laughed it off. He would go out with guys and girls to parties and raves and he would get trashed. Drunk as hell and high as a fucking kite. Part of you wondered how the hell he was still standing up.

You understood why TJ turned to drugs and alcohol. Sometimes you also wanted to forget, to feel the weight lift off your shoulders, so you tried not to nag TJ about his drug use.

Until the first OD.

You sat by TJ's bedside for days. He didn't come to until about two days had passed, and while his mom had flown up to see him, to make sure he was okay, his dad never showed. Elaine made excuses for him, telling you that he was the president and had to run the country, and he wished that he could've been there but he had other things to do.

That always rubbed you the wrong way. Bud Hammond was the fucking president of the United States, sure, but TJ was his _son_. He should've made time to come and see his own child.

That was the day that you started understanding why TJ had such an inferiority complex.

After TJ got released from the hospital after his first OD, you told him he had to stop doing this to himself. He had to get clean. You argued with him, tried to barter with him...hell, you'd even tried _begging_.

All you got from that was him telling you to never speak to him again. He moved out of your room and you barely ever saw him.

Years passed. TJ was really good at playing the crowd, and when Elaine Barrish decided to run for president, you saw him. He looked _good_.

He was the same beautiful boy you'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

Then you'd heard he tried to commit suicide. Your heart had always gone out to TJ Hammond. He put on a good face, a brave face for the public to see, but you knew he was dying inside. He didn't feel like he was good enough for his family; his brother was the golden child, his mother was more focused on her career, his father didn't think TJ was ever going to make anything of himself. The only person that really cared about him was his nana.

You weren't sure what you were thinking when you'd decided to go and see him. It'd literally been _years_ since the two of you had been in the same place. You had tried so hard to help him to get clean, but if you'd learned anything from your father being a judge and your mother being a high-profile lawyer, it's that drug addicts won't get clean until it's something _they_ want.

TJ wouldn't get clean until it was something TJ wanted.

But yet, here you stood, eleven-thirty at night, on his doorstep. You take a deep breath before knocking.

"What do you --" he started, but then he opened the door. He just kind of stood there and stared at you for the longest time.

"Y/N." His voice was soft, and you knew by his expression that you were the last person he'd ever thought to see on his doorstep. His eyes were soft, the same blue/grey they had been when you'd last seen him. He was still beautiful.

"Hi, Teej," you say, just as softly. "You mind if I come in?"

You could tell that he didn't want you there, but he stepped aside so you could enter anyway.

You sit down on the couch in his living room. It was a beautiful apartment, but honestly, what did you expect? He was the son of the former president of the United States. TJ had pretty much anything he could ever want.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked, bringing you a bottle of water. You heard the accusing tone in his voice, and even though it killed you, you didn't blame him. It had been almost twelve years.

"I came to see you," you say softly. You took a swig of the water he offered you. He sat down in an easy chair across from the couch you were seated on. Your eyes took in the apartment.

That's when you noticed his piano. When you were at boarding school together, he'd been an exceptional pianist. You nod towards it, "You still play?"

He shrugged, and right away you can tell it was a stab at faking nonchalance. "Sometimes," he answered. "When Momma, Nana, and Dougie ask me to. I still like it."

You nod. You cringe at the awkwardness of the situation, but you really want to talk to him. It'd been so very long.

"Look, Teej," you start softly, "it's been a really long time since we've seen each other. I wasn't brave enough to do this all those years ago, but I am now."

"What I remember is you trying to change me," he says accusingly. It hurts a little more than it should, but you just watch him.

"I never tried to change you, TJ," you sigh. "I never wanted you to change. I liked you just the way you were."

He shoots you a puzzling look.

"Teej, you're going to kill yourself. You were going to back then, with all the drugs and alcohol you put in your system. I didn't want to see you hurt yourself. I couldn't bear it."

"And why not?"

You sigh. It was either now or never, and you fucking knew it.

"I loved you, TJ," you say softly. "I loved you back then, so very much. It was killing me not being able to say anything, but then you OD'ed, and I almost lost you. Scared the hell out of me."

He watches you silently.

"Look, Teej, I loved you so much back then. I never forgot you. But I've seen your name in the headlines and I really want you to know that I want a relationship with you. I don't want to see you hurt yourself. I don't think I'd be able to handle it if you died."

"Y/N --" he starts, but you shake your head.

"Your drug addiction isn't your fault, Teej," you say softly. "You've been dealing with a lot of shit your entire life. But I want a relationship with you. I want to get to know you again. Friends first, if that's what you want. But would you please learn how to lean on me when you feel weak? I'm always gonna be there for you. I just don't think I could bear it if you died on me. There are so many people who love you, Teej, and if we lost you, it would kill each and every one of us."

He sighs. Then, he nods. And finally, he says, "You wanna get dinner? I know this great little Ethiopian place. Great food, great drinks. How 'bout it?"

And if this was how you were going to rekindle your relationship with TJ Hammond, you'd fucking take it.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr [here](http://oneshotsbygabby.tumblr.com/). I take requests.


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